Bristol, Massachusetts — Presidential Election Results
Bristol, Massachusetts has voted Democratic in 7 of the last 7 presidential elections on record (2000–2024). In 2024, it was 24.6 pts more Rep. than Massachusetts overall.
Jump to year: 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024
Full Election History, 2000–2024
| Year | Winner | Party | Votes | Vote Share | Margin | Total Votes Cast | Swing | Vs. Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Al Gore | Democratic | 136,325 | 64.5% | 34.8 pts (73,477 votes) | 211,337 | — | 7.3 pts more Dem. |
| 2004 | John Kerry | Democratic | 147,854 | 63.5% | 28.1 pts (65,330 votes) | 232,878 | -8.5 pts | 2.9 pts more Dem. |
| 2008 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 146,861 | 60.4% | 23.1 pts (56,264 votes) | 243,120 | -4.7 pts | 2.7 pts more Rep. |
| 2012 | Barack Obama | Democratic | 142,962 | 59.2% | 20.4 pts (49,210 votes) | 241,509 | -2.9 pts | 2.8 pts more Rep. |
| 2016 | Hillary Clinton | Democratic | 129,540 | 52.0% | 9.7 pts (24,097 votes) | 248,959 | -10.5 pts | 19.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2020 | Joseph R Biden Jr | Democratic | 153,377 | 54.5% | 11.9 pts (33,505 votes) | 281,364 | +2.0 pts | 22.0 pts more Rep. |
| 2024 | Kamala D Harris | Democratic | 137,786 | 49.6% | 1.3 pts (3,590 votes) | 278,017 | -10.9 pts | 24.6 pts more Rep. |
Population Context
Total Census Bureau population estimate for the county that year, and recorded votes as a share of that total population. This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
| Year | County Population | Votes Cast (% of Population) |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 535,817 | 39.4% of population |
| 2004 | 545,988 | 42.7% of population |
| 2008 | 546,456 | 44.5% of population |
| 2012 | 551,120 | 43.8% of population |
| 2016 | 558,070 | 44.6% of population |
| 2020 | 576,776 | 48.8% of population |
| 2024 | 588,593 | 47.2% of population |
Trend
Between 2000 and 2024, the two-party presidential margin in Bristol shifted 35.6 points toward the Republican candidate, based on recorded county returns. This reflects the vote totals in this dataset only; no claim is made here about the causes of that shift.
Margin Over Time
Democratic candidate's margin (percentage points, two-party vote share). Positive values favor the Democratic candidate; negative values favor the Republican candidate.
Bellwether Status
Bristol has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Massachusetts's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%). Compare every county on the bellwether counties page.
Related Pages
Other Massachusetts Counties
Frequently Asked Questions
How has Bristol voted in presidential elections since 2000?
Since 2000, Bristol has voted Democratic in 7 of 7 recorded presidential elections and Republican in 0 of 7, based on county-level returns through 2024.
What was the closest presidential election in Bristol?
Bristol's closest recorded margin was in 2024, when Kamala D Harris (Democratic) won by 1.3 points (3,590 votes) out of 278,017 total votes cast.
Has Bristol ever flipped between parties?
Not in the 2000-2024 record on this page -- Bristol has voted for the same party in every recorded presidential election in that span.
What is the largest presidential election margin recorded in Bristol?
The widest margin on record for Bristol was in 2000, when Al Gore (Democratic) won by 36.9 points.
How many votes were cast in Bristol relative to its population?
In 2024, 278,017 votes were recorded in Bristol against a total population of 588,593 (47.2% of the total population). This is a population-based figure, not a turnout rate against eligible or registered voters, which this site does not calculate.
Is Bristol a presidential bellwether county?
Bristol has matched the national popular winner in 3 of the last 7 presidential elections (43%), and Massachusetts's own statewide winner in 7 of 7 (100%).